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11-17-2000, 10:59 PM

Hey Virg.
Advanced D&D rules can be pretty perplexing to the newcomer. They are basically designed to make combat variables as realistic as possible, for a game. Some of the Terms (such as THACO and ARMOR CLASS) are defined pretty well in the manual but there are other rules that are not. In general, without actually going out and getting a rule book or studying them all, the most sensible route would be to first use the tutorial that comes with the game. Its pretty basic but it will give you a good running start at understanding of the games engine. Second, start off with a fighter character. The wizards are in a class (or several) all by themselves and I could spend a week talking to you about the differences in spells weaponry and all that. The fighter's toughest choices are who to kill first and what weapons to use. That alone can take some time to figure out with all the bonus and minus modifiers that some of them have. (+2THACO, +2 COLD, +3 BOOGER PICKING TIME
ONe thing you will want to know if you dont already ifs how the combat die work. That is outlined in the book for the game as well.
As far as those problematic people who are always trying to get you to perform some lame little thing for them, they are people who will earn you experience points and help you level up. Most of them if not all are not very time constrained, though the characters almost always tell you to "HURRY IT MUST BE DONE YESTERDAY OR I WILL DIE AND THE WORLD WILL END AND YOU WILL NOT GET ANYWHERE!!!" The first time through the game, I basically did whatever I hapened to run into while i was playing the game and if I didnt find this item or that, screw it. They are all in your journal if you want to go back to them later but you dont have to feel like they all have to be done now. The game was designed to be played more than once. So if they are stressing you, just ignore them and finish the game. Next time you play you will be more adept in the combat workings and you can also work on your use of mages and clerics as well. The red number means it was modified, (usually for the worse) like in this case when you lose a familiar, you lose some of your constitution. You can either reload or go on from there. Hope this helps.

11-17-2000, 10:59 PM	#6
Tara Guest Posts: n/a	Hey Virg. Advanced D&D rules can be pretty perplexing to the newcomer. They are basically designed to make combat variables as realistic as possible, for a game. Some of the Terms (such as THACO and ARMOR CLASS) are defined pretty well in the manual but there are other rules that are not. In general, without actually going out and getting a rule book or studying them all, the most sensible route would be to first use the tutorial that comes with the game. Its pretty basic but it will give you a good running start at understanding of the games engine. Second, start off with a fighter character. The wizards are in a class (or several) all by themselves and I could spend a week talking to you about the differences in spells weaponry and all that. The fighter's toughest choices are who to kill first and what weapons to use. That alone can take some time to figure out with all the bonus and minus modifiers that some of them have. (+2THACO, +2 COLD, +3 BOOGER PICKING TIME ONe thing you will want to know if you dont already ifs how the combat die work. That is outlined in the book for the game as well. As far as those problematic people who are always trying to get you to perform some lame little thing for them, they are people who will earn you experience points and help you level up. Most of them if not all are not very time constrained, though the characters almost always tell you to "HURRY IT MUST BE DONE YESTERDAY OR I WILL DIE AND THE WORLD WILL END AND YOU WILL NOT GET ANYWHERE!!!" The first time through the game, I basically did whatever I hapened to run into while i was playing the game and if I didnt find this item or that, screw it. They are all in your journal if you want to go back to them later but you dont have to feel like they all have to be done now. The game was designed to be played more than once. So if they are stressing you, just ignore them and finish the game. Next time you play you will be more adept in the combat workings and you can also work on your use of mages and clerics as well. The red number means it was modified, (usually for the worse) like in this case when you lose a familiar, you lose some of your constitution. You can either reload or go on from there. Hope this helps.